Marked and Hunted
by aominecchi0831
Summary: The Miracles in this parallel world are now called the Hidden Order, a group of the best assassins that ever existed. Aomine Daiki is the most notorious when it comes to killing nobles, and so he will be much surprised with his new mission: to save General Kiyoshi and his adopted daughter, a beautiful girl named Taiga.
1. Chapter 1

**Marked and Hunted**

**Characters: Kagami, GoM, et al.**

**Ship: Aomine x fem!Kagami, KuroMomo, MidoTaka, MidoAka, etc.**

**Note: Okay. It's been my lifelong dream to write a fantasy novel. I used to dream of becoming a game programmer, ever since that fateful night when I saw Final Fantasy X. But as I grew up, I realized that my strength in Mathematics is limited to more than solving arithmetic, and then I realized: if I can't produce an awesome world using computer graphics, why not use words? Soon I got into writing fiction.**

**So why am I saying this to you? Well, I just want to say that this fanfic is going to contain a lot of stuff coming from all the videogames (RPGs to be precise) I've seen and played. Try guessing what they are.**

**And I would like you to enjoy reading this, of course.**

**Note: KnB is created by none other than the great Fujimaki-sama. Pardon me for any errors in grammar and spelling. They aren't made on purpose.**

**Douzo!**

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_**The Empire's Cronies wouldn't even stand a chance against me,**_ Aomine Daiki thought with confidence. He stealthily maneuvered his way through the Capital's well-adorned rooftops, running on red tile and jumping over every wide berth just to get from one building to another. Any ordinary human would have given up on doing such stunts and tricks, for such skillful and agile movements require the best physique a person should have. But Aomine…he is more than a human. That can be assured to you by the rest of the world.

He slid down two floors from a very high but abandoned building, whose towering structure was on the verge of toppling over the snaked roads filled with people. He dropped to a balcony at the second floor, and from there he went inside the building. He sneaked into the shadows, as he watched a gaily-colored aircraft roamed the sky in search of him.

_**I told you, you don't stand a chance…**_

He smirked as the aircraft's search light aimed blindly here and there, hoping to find him in the dark. But Aomine was used to dealing with the authorities of the Empire.

He just killed one of their nobles tonight, for heaven's sake.

The moment the aircraft's lights went closer to his hiding spot, he quickly rolled on the floor and moved to the doorway. He sneaked out of the room without making a slightest noise, and soon he was running down a set of rickety stairs.

_**Can't stay here any longer…**_he said to himself as he ignored the creaking of the old wooden stairs.

He was unfortunately met by a small search party of Cronies as he was running down to the ground floor. They wore the ever flashy garb of red and silver armor, and so it wasn't hard for any criminal to see them. Armed to the teeth with the best of the Empire's ballistic weapons, these soldiers aimed their firearms at the renegade.

But Aomine was quick to move, even to the Cronies' standards. He leaped high planted one boot-clad foot on the first Crony, kicking the red steel helmet hard and banging the soldier against his comrades. They all tumbled down like pieces of domino.

Aomine lightly landed on his feet, but he immediately slid down the banister in case the Cronies were quick to recover. But before any of the good-for-nothing soldiers could get up, he was already out, walking in the shadows of the Capital's narrow alleys.

_**Easy as pie.**_

Despite the camouflage-mask he wore, he still pulled the hood of his black greatcoat down to cover his head as he went into a nearby night market teeming with so many shoppers and urchins. The last thing every assassin wanted was to be seen, and despite the protection given by such a crowd, Aomine knew that it pays to be careful all the time.

So he walked along with the tide of people, inconspicuous to everyone, until he came to another alley that was located between an old book shop and an antique store. It was a path that only a few people know, and even then most of them knew better than to suddenly take that detour unwelcomed.

Aomine was among the selected ones who have the right to enter that narrow passage. Despite that fact, however, he still had his mask and hood on. At the end of the alleyway was a dead end of a high brick wall, murky with filth and old age. But touching the right stones, the dead end served as an entrance to a grand and impressive lair that could put any ancient castle to shame. A massive den that was once an ancient tomb, it is now a place lively with so many strong people gathering in groups, either having drinks and conversations, or even friendly duels and combat training. It was a different world altogether, where only people like Aomine could stay for as long as they liked.

It was Aomine's home, the secluded guild hall of the Hidden Order.

The Hidden Order is among the factions that are not part of the Empire's listed guilds. No surprises there. The Hidden Order, after all, is a faction of the best assassins from all walks of life. An organized league, they are ranked from the lowest greenhorns to the most wanted killers-for-hire. Little is known about them, save the fact that their motives are wide-ranged, from money to political revolution.

Aomine's motive was simple: he just hated the Empire.

That can be clearly seen from his long list of victims. Nobles, generals, officials, tell him to target anyone from the Empire and he would do you bidding willingly. There was a deep reason behind this, but in general, his motive is just like everyone else's – every commoner deprived of his rights by the dreaded rulers would naturally want to get even…usually by murder.

In the lair, Aomine felt much safer, more comfortable. The outside world was no place for him to settle in peace, if peace can even be enjoyed by a killer like him. He pulled back his black hood, and removed the mask that had rendered him faceless; now stood a tall, dark, imposing young man with short hair the color of the midnight sky, keen eyes of the same shade. His complexion was of a dark, sun-kissed tone, hinting the fact that he was not a resident of the Capital at all.

When Aomine removed his greatcoat the other assassins glanced at him in recognition. He returned the acknowledgement with a slight nod, then he silently went on his way without so much as a sidelong look at his comrades.

Naturally the other assassins would have taken offense, but Aomine was among the revered members of the Order, and they all knew that despite their numbers they would not stand a chance against him.

Aomine on the other hand, walked past all the other guild members, and approached a huge double door made of thick hardwood and iron. He rapped the door thrice in a manner distinct only to those who are allowed in.

The door gaped open, and Aomine came in swiftly. A good idea, for the door quickly closed shut the moment he entered.

He came into an opulent room, decorated with antique furniture and huge, old wooden bookshelves filled with thick, leather-bound books. A smooth-surfaced round table made from the finest hardwood was surrounded by seven chairs, and only his seat remained empty.

"You're here, at last." Said the red-haired youth who sat at the end of the table, flanked by five other assassins who stared at Aomine accusingly. All of them wore the same conservative garb as Aomine: a great coat that covered much of the body, which was made of light but tough material, and has a hood to cover the head.

"Stop looking at me like that, all of you." Aomine grunted as he took his seat, which was at the red head's right side.

"I know I am a minute late…"

"You knew it very well, Daiki." The redhead answered with a smile. "I'm surprised."

Aomine would have told the young man to just shut up, but he knew better.

"Let's just start this meeting, shall we?"

The red-haired youth nodded at the person sitting at his left, a tall lad with sleek hair the color of the meadows in midsummer, and wore a pair of battered spectacles.

"Shintaro."

"Allow me to tell the details, Akashi." Midorima Shintaro spoke in a deep, clear voice.

"As we all know, despite the beautiful world that the Empire show, deep inside it is actually a rotten expanse of corrupted mysticism, evil science and violent politics. Recently we purified much of it by…shall we say…_**removing**_ certain vermin from their positions."

Aomine could not suppress a chuckle upon hearing the last sentence. Despite lacking sense of humor, Midorima has the tendency to make an unexpected pun.

"But recently the remaining vermin are taking advantage of our exploits. Now some of the few dignified people within the Empire's office are threatened to be killed – not by us, definitely, but we are sure to take the blame if we don't prevent them."

Aomine scowled at the plan. The Hidden Order is an organization of assassins. Why in the world would they become the knights-in-shining-armor of a nobleman?

Akashi, the red-haired youth was quick to read his thoughts so he spoke in an authoritative voice. "I know you are against this, Daiki, but the Order is currently facing a threat. Noble or not, we need to stop the Empire from killing anyone whom we did not plan to assassinate."

"Like I have an option in the matter. So who's the mark?" Aomine asked for the person whom the wicked officials of the Empire were targeting.

Akashi Seijuuro set his eyes on another assassin, this time a pale-skinned lad with hair and eyes the color of the clear sky. He lacked so much presence that for a moment everyone had forgotten that he was in the room with them.

"Kuroko. Tell us the mark."

Kuroko Tetsuya nodded, his face impassive. "Certain liaisons tell of one general named Kiyoshi Teppei, of the 3rd regiment of the Imperial Army, was a target of a group of individuals who were planning to take his place. He is one of the candidates to replace the current Head Knight of the Army.

"Apparently, this man is from the nobility and is a very charismatic person. His troops are most loyal to him, that it can only take a word from him to start a rebellion within the Empire. Even the Emperor feels threatened by him."

The rest of them were quick to analyze the situation. General Kiyoshi is about to be murdered, and worse, whoever did it had the Emperor's consent. And with a few lies here and there, it would be very easy to put the blame on the Order.

"So what's the plan?" Aomine was the first to ask. He was curious about the general. There are only a few such people like Kiyoshi within the Empire, after all.

"It has been said that the killing takes place in the Holy Square, on Capitol Day." Said Kuroko.

"A public execution." Akashi said grimly. "Right on the day of a celebration."

Aomine smirked. "They surely know how to have fun."

"Capitol Day is only ten days away. We need to come up with plans before then." Akashi said plans, as the Order always believed never to take chances with only a single strategy.

"Ryota." He turned to a handsome young man with hair and eyes that would remind you of the shining sun.

"You are the one with a lot of connections. I would like you to roam in the Holy Square. Gather any information which you think would be relevant to our mission; you might as well see if you can find anyone suspicious surveying the area."

"No problem." Kise Ryota nodded cheerfully.

"Tetsuya, Shintaro, set up a map showing the possible areas for enemy attack on Kiyoshi."

Both Kuroko and Midorima nodded in agreement.

"And you." Akashi glanced at Aomine. "You're going to keep an eye on the general, until the Capitol Day."

"Me?" Aomine was not fond of being a bodyguard to anyone, no matter who they were.

"Why don't you just send Atsushi?"

Akashi glanced at the lanky young man with shoulder length mauve hair and lazy looking eyes.

"Atsushi's job is to annihilate anyone who goes against my will." Akashi said in the most threatening tone.

Aomine looked into Murasakibara Atsushi's eyes. He didn't want to mess with this giant. Not today, nor tomorrow.

Aomine sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll do it."

Akashi smiled triumphantly. "Very well. Our meeting is done for today."

They all stood up and left the opulent room, each one headed for their own tasks.

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**Okay, okay. I know this story is kinda like some dark fantasy involving nobles and assassins and whatnot. But do please give it a chance. You haven't seen General Kiyoshi yet – and his beautiful daughter named Taiga.**

**Review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yes, I know, it's been a long time since I last updated. I'm so sorry for that. But here's chapter two!**

**Note: As I have said before, Taiga is adopted by Teppei, so technically, her surname's not Kagami. Hence, I'll use Taiga in reference to her.**

**Douzo!**

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**Chapter 2**

The family room was a huge and luxurious room facing the back garden of the manor. It was vast and opulent, and it was filled with heavy wooden furnishings and expensive paintings dating back to the First Reign. The only person in the room that morning was Taiga, her long silky hair tied back with a knot, and the hem of her night gown hung loosely up to her knees. Her feet stealthily walked about, searching for a place to hide.

Taiga crouched low behind the silk covered sofa, waiting patiently until a tall, imposing man came into the sitting room, holding a gazette in one hand. Crimson eyes peered at the doorway, following the target until he sat on a wingback chair beside the fireplace.

For a moment she thought she had heard a rustling sound coming from the outside, but she ignored it when the man had relaxed in his seat.

She felt the cold hilt of her ivory knife, and in a swift motion she jumped from behind the sofa and dashed to the imposing man. But the man, who was more agile than she was, managed to grab her wrist before she could even get close.

"Learn a lesson, Taiga," the man spoke in a very friendly manner. "If your target is a soldier, there is a chance that he already knows the possible places you can hide in his home."

Taiga pouted childishly as the man let go of her hand and she lowered her weapon. "Then you already know I'm not gonna win against you," she said, disappointment filling her voice. "What's the point of all this then?"

The man laughed at her. "The point is that I want to know how you will deal with such hindrances. I've always expected the better of you, Taiga. You are my daughter, after all."

Taiga felt insulted by her own father. "You're trying to prove you're better than me, aren't you?"

At this, her father looked at her seriously. "No." there was firmness in his voice, which was usually heard whenever he was about to lift the spirits of his army before going to a war. "I want to make _**you**_ better than _**me**_, Taiga."

Taiga straightened herself up. Every time she hears her father speak in his commanding manner, she felt like she was stronger than any soldier, like she could win any battle. Her father was Kiyoshi Teppei, leader of the 3rd Regiment of the Imperial Army, and a man more than suitable to become the next Head Knight. And she was his proud daughter.

"My, this game makes me feel like resting for a while," Kiyoshi gave a half-hearted sigh and then patted his daughter's fiery red hair. "Why don't we sit down for a while and have some tea?"

Taiga complied, and together they sat at a round table by the floor-to ceiling windows. It was their relaxation spot, and every morning they have breakfast there as they enjoyed the lovely view of the many flowers blooming in their backyard garden.

The maid entered the room, pushing a cart with a basket full of the finest bread and a tea set, and the scent of the jasmine tea wafted in the air. Taiga ignored the servant, noticing the gazette in her father's hand instead.

"Has something happened?" she asked.

Kiyoshi frowned. "Yes. Another assassination…" He stared at the headlines. There was a picture of a nobleman, old and red-faced and skinny, with an air of haughtiness around him. The general had met him once, during a party at the Imperial Palace; he knew right then that it wasn't impossible to think that somebody would want the man dead.

"Have they any clues as to who did it?" Taiga asked, before sipping her tea.

"None, unfortunately," Kiyoshi replied disappointedly; no matter how hateful someone was, assassination was not supposed to be tolerated. "But rumors say that a certain faction was behind the murder."

"A faction?" Taiga raised her eyebrows, puzzled. "Some sort of guild?"

"Right. The Hidden Order, that's what they call it."

"Hidden Order?" Taiga snorted. "Not anymore."

"The name of the faction hardly matters, Taiga. It's the members of this organization which we should focus on. There's no point in exposing the name of the secret group if we have no idea who formed it in the first place."

"But surely the Cronies must have found out something." Taiga found herself drawn into this conversation. She was not interested in politics, but military works often had its hold on her, thanks to her father. "They've known the name of the group, how come they don't have names or images of its members?"

"That, I don't know," Kiyoshi replied. "But maybe they'll tell us, someday."

"Maybe," Taiga was not convinced. "But I've been noticing some nobles showing dislike towards you, father. I don't think they would tell anything to us soon." It was true; often Taiga goes to various parties at nobles' houses together with her father. She heard a lot of talk about politics, and most of them about not favoring her father for the position of the Head Knight. She could not understand why the nobles think that her father did not deserve the position. For all Taiga knew, her father has the best track record in the Army, and the soldiers of his regiment were well led by him, winning in all battles.

Kiyoshi could only sigh in defeat. "It's unfortunate that politics come first before the welfare of everyone."

"That's life, father, don't you think?" Taiga spoke indifferently. In the world of the elite, power comes above everything else, for all she knew.

"Life?" Kiyoshi looked at her incredulously. "There's more to life than power play."

"What is more to life than that?"

"Well…" the general took a moment to contemplate. "I have you."

Taiga's lips curved into a sweet smile. "You're right."

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"Damn it," Aomine muttered angrily. "I almost jumped out of my hiding spot."

He could not believe what was going on within General Kiyoshi's sitting room. Did the man seriously train his daughter in martial arts in such a realistic way? Aomine almost thought that the girl was an assassin sent by the Empire, and he almost came to the rescue when he thought that the general was in danger.

General Kiyoshi seemed to be a smart and strong man, nonetheless. He was able to defend himself from getting ambushed by his own daughter.

_**Then again, it wasn't as if the girl made a competent fighter,**_ Aomine thought with a smirk. _**If she went behind the door and attacked him from behind, she might have stood a chance…**_

He remained hidden behind the thick rose bushes at the garden facing the room. He peered through the foliage warily, and used his honed senses to listen to the conversation going on between father and daughter. When Akashi had briefed him about the general, there was little information mentioned regarding the girl, save her name.

_**Taiga, huh. Quite an unusual name for a girl of high social status.**_

Aomine took in her features, out of habit. He was not the most intelligent person in the Order, but he was good at remembering people. He stared at Taiga's long, fiery-red hair, which would probably reach her waist when untied. Her eyes were a pair of crimson orbs, reflecting a passionate heart and a brave soul. Aomine could not help but wonder if she was indeed General Kiyoshi's biological daughter, because the man barely looked anything like her with his dark brown hair, calm and bright, soulful eyes and thick eyebrows.

If there was anything Taiga got from her father it was probably the strength of character, but that was hardly inheritable.

"Have you decided on what to wear for Capitol Day, Taiga?" Kiyoshi asked.

Taiga shook her head no. "I haven't got time, with all the things I have to do at school."

"You're studying at home, Taiga. I got you a tutor for your own convenience. How come you still have no time?" the general could not believe the excuses coming from her.

"I'll have a dress before Capitol Day, father. I promise."

"Good. I want the whole Empire know of my pride." Kiyoshi always proclaims Taiga as his pride, just the way other fathers would at their sons. "You should wear white – "

"I'll take care of it. You should worry more about yourself." Kagami looked at him with concern. "Do you have something to wear?"

"Now that you're said it," Kiyoshi said. "I have none."

_**What a klutz,**_ Aomine thought exasperatedly.

"You can be quite a klutz, father." Taiga heaved a weary sigh. Her father simply scratched his head sheepishly and laughed.

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Akashi was waiting in the meeting room sitting on his designated chair at the table, with Murasakibara standing by his side like a silent sentinel. Midorima entered as expected, carrying a roll of parchment and a crossbow.

"How was it?" Akashi asked without a greeting.

Midorima stood on the opposite side and unrolled the parchment, revealing a large area map of the Holy Square.

"Kuroko found this in the library," Midorima said. "It's not like the modern maps of today, but its ancient secrets are of great value to our mission."

Akashi's eyes seemed to have gleamed in delight. "Tell me about it."

The Holy Square was a vast expanse in the middle of the Capitol, spanning more than a hectare of lush green and white marble. On the center was a grand fountain, with the statue of the first Emperor in the middle. It was built to commemorate the birth of the city and the Empire.

Midorima pointed a thin finger at the northern part of the square, where a rectangular edifice stood. "The nobles shall stay there, to watch the parade and the rest of the festivities. A semi-open stage."

"A target range, that's what Daiki will say." Akashi eyed the map meticulously. "Have you any idea where the attacks shall come from?"

"If the assassination's approved by the Emperor, it can come from anywhere," Midorima said. "But with all the people coming on Capitol Day, the closer the killer is, the better his chances of getting the General."

"Won't they try to use rifles?"

"All of the buildings surrounding the square were too far from the stage. Only _**I**_ can kill someone from such a distance." Midorima pushed his spectacles closer to his face smugly.

Akashi could not suppress a smile. "It's not that I don't believe you, but we can never be too sure about that."

"Right. Then again, the security around the square shall surely be tight, certainly the Empire's Cronies have already seen to that."

"Indeed, you're right." Akashi nodded in agreement. "Let's wait for the others to arrive, so that we can set up a plan."

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Kise, a natural born citizen of the Empire, casually walked around the Holy Square that evening. He had been talking to the people living around the area all day, and he felt like having a drink before returning to the lair.

There wasn't much that he had found out that could be valuable, but a trip to the bar can yield some good things.

The nearest bar was located at the end of the alley, far hidden from the Empire's prying eyes. High taxes have been put upon liquor and other things that owning a bar became an option only to the elite. This one lived on smuggled alcohol, hence the drinks are affordable. Even Cronies come here for some shots, although they tend to blackmail the bar owner if they were asked to pay for the drink.

Kise entered the tavern and was met with groups of poor drunken men, Cronies, and a few flirtatious damsels around. He walked over to the counter and talked to the bartender, a young man whose face reminded him of a cat.

"Whiskey, please."

"Right away, sir." The bartender quickly got to work, getting a bottle of the liquor and a crystalline glass. "Ice?"

"Yes, please."

"You must be new here. Are you a tourist?"

Kise cocked his head to one side. "What makes you say that?"

The bartender shrugged. "I just remember the faces of the ones who come here often. You're not one of them."

"Ah, right…" Kise chuckled softly as he watched the man pour the drink into the glass. "I actually live here, but I rarely go outside at night."

"May I ask why you happen to go out tonight?" the bartender asked in a friendly tone. Kise eyed him for a few seconds, trying to see anything suspicious about him.

"Just an evening stroll," Kise said afterwards. "I felt like getting some fresh air, and a good drink."

"Just a lonely chap who wants to have fun, are you?"

Kise could not help but laugh. "You got it right."

The bartender was supposed to laugh in response, but one of the Cronies suddenly yelled towards their direction.

"This place would have been fine had there been women!" the Crony, a broad-shouldered man with a trimmed beard and a scar across his ruddy face, shouted. He was obviously inebriated and at the peak of his roughness. Kise scowled, sensing trouble ahead.

"Cronies think they can do anything just because they're the lapdogs of the Emperor," the bartended muttered exasperatedly. "This _**isn't a brothel**_, you fool."

"Haven't you heard me?! Have you no lovely ladies to give life to this place?" the Crony stood up, almost stumbling after drinking too much. Kise would've laughed, but the situation became too tense in the tavern at that moment. A drunken man shouldn't be angered, especially if he's a soldier.

"Somebody please calm him," Kise told the Crony's companions.

"Calm their captain? I doubt they had the balls to do it." The bartender hissed.

The drunken Crony was clearly out of control, that he harshly grabbed the object nearest to him – a bottle of wine – and swung it aimlessly, making people move backwards against the tavern walls. Only Kise remained unperturbed, eyeing the soldier while thinking of a plan to pin him down.

The captain must have read his thoughts, because his eyes glared at Kise.

"What're you looking at?" he asked.

"You, perhaps?" Kise answered with a shrug.

"HUH?" the Crony threw the bottle towards the blonde. Kise easily dodged it, moving his head to one side. The bottle broke into pieces upon crashing against the shelf full of liquor.

"Seriously," Kise's voice was threatening that even the bartender began to shy away from him. "Calm down."

Then the man began to charge towards him, like a raging wild bull.

Kise stood up, ready to face the drunken beast attacking. The Crony screamed out loud as he was about to punch the blonde in the face, but his movements were quickly halted by Kise grabbing his fist with one hand and his thick neck with the other.

"I already told you…" Kise gripped the man's neck tightly, choking him. "_**Calm down**_."

The man choked, and began to cough. His comrades began to draw out weapons, preparing to shoot Kise if he ever tries to kill the man.

"Put him down," one of them said.

Kise eyed him viciously, before letting the man go. The Crony dropped to the floor, coughing and holding his own neck gingerly.

"It's not that I'm planning to kill him or anything," Kise told the Cronies.

The Cronies didn't drop their weapons, cruel bastards as they were.

"That's enough."

Everyone turned their heads to the front door of the bar. A girl stood there, donning the white and blue uniform of the 3rd Regiment army. She looked a little bit older than Kise, though her attire was an evidence of her higher social status. Her short black hair and keen blue-grey eyes reminded him of a bird of prey, forever elegant yet deadly.

All the Cronies stood in their places, frozen in shock. "Captain Kasamatsu!"

"Kasamatsu?" Kise eyed the girl curiously.

"What are you doing here," Captain Kasamatsu folded her arms across her chest and eyed her subordinates accusingly. "Drinking in a place that is known to be illegal?"

She reprimanded the Cronies right away, even going so far as to directly report to General Kiyoshi to remove them from duty. A small army of higher level Cronies poured into the room, arresting the people in the bar. Instantly a chaos occurred, as patrons began to run about in panic, hoping to run away from the captain and not get arrested.

Kise, being an assassin, stealthily ran through a door hidden behind the wine shelf, dragging the bartender along with him.

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**I know, I know! This took WAAAAY too long!**

**Thank you, Chiisaiuki, for persuading me to continue with my fic!**

**Review, minna?**


	3. Chapter 3

**KnB s3's last episode was released on my birthday, and it made me feel sad, really. I suddenly felt that I owe people some KnB fanfic updates, and so here it goes!**

**Yay! I'm kinda inspired to get this story updated, so.**

**Douzo!**

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**Chapter 3**

The path was so narrow, not to mention it has a low ceiling. Kise shoved the bartender to walk ahead so that he could follow him. The bartender did not bother to protest, with all the Cronies raiding the bar that night. As they made their escape, Kise kept on looking back, hoping that the soldiers won't see the hidden door and come after them. Their bird of prey of a leader – _**Kasamatsu, yes, that's her name,**_ he thought with an amused smile – looked like a very keen person, after all.

"Where does this path lead to?" Kise asked casually, as if he hadn't been dragging the guy awhile ago.

"The river," the bartender answered, panting. "We have a small boat hidden there."

"Motor?"

"Yeah."

Kise could not hide his smile. "You're quite prepared for this, aren't you?"

The bartender chuckled despite running out of breath. "Of course. We won't lose our business so long as we don't lose our lives."

"Hah! You guys are so optimistic."

Kise peered at the narrow pathway in hopes of getting a glimpse of the view outside, but no luck. The walls soon became dank and slimy with lichen, and the ground was slippery with mud. The place smelled of salt and decay. A minute later they were of out a porthole under a stone bridge by the Industrial River, a huge tributary spanning from the mountains on the east to the ocean on the west, practically bisecting the Capitol.

The bartender glanced left and right, then jumped off the hole when the coast was clear. Kise carefully followed behind.

"Over here." the bartender beckoned him to come over a small boat tethered on a stone post. There were small boxes inside – Kise would soon learn that the boxes contained nothing but hay, disguising the boat as a merchant's cargo ferry. Merchants' boats were inspected outside the Capitol before they could pass through the river, so Cronies could only assume that this one was not used for illegal businesses.

The two men sneakily went into the boat. Kise kept on looking around in case there were Cronies patrolling nearby and were alerted about incident at the bar. The bartender turned on the engine and they made their escape downstream.

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"That was quite a commotion there," Kise said cheerily, his eyes looking back at the stone bridge where they'd left. He then glanced at the bartender, who was manually operating the ferry.

The bartender grinned from ear to ear. "Nothing new, I tell you. A lot of those bastards visit taverns for cheap drinks, and the commanders are always around to catch them."

"So you know a thing or two about the military folk?" Kise raised an eyebrow. As he had said before, one can really get some information when he visits a bar. He casually approached the bartender, light-footed so that the other would not notice him sneaking behind.

The bartender, unable to sense the blond assassin close by, stared ahead and shrugged nonchalantly. "I know a thing or two. Mostly the rumors that the Cronies spread."

"Oh," Kise smiled. He carefully pulled out a needle from the sleeve of his jacket. "That's nice."

And in a swift movement, Kise drove the needle into the bartender's neck. The sedative in the needle (a chemical extracted from an exotic plant) took effect in less than ten seconds. Now Kise has information to bring home – and a nice little motorboat as a bonus.

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Akashi walked across the room in quick strides, approaching Kuroko who stood at the entrance.

"Ryota has brought someone?" Akashi asked.

"Yes," Kuroko moved aside, allowing the red-haired leader to walk through the doorway. "It's a bartender who has knowledge of the Cronies' plans."

"How can we be certain about that?" Akashi's words had an edge on his voice; he was not the type of man who settles for unreliable sources. "That bartender may only be hearing rumors."

"That might be true, but we all know that the Cronies frequent bars often. We may find out something." Kuroko followed Akashi as the redhead walked briskly down the hallway, to a heavy iron door at the end. Murasakibara stood there waiting for his master, and opened the door for them.

Behind the iron door was a narrow stairway leading to a lower floor, stone-walled and with more iron doors. Kuroko opened the first door to the left, leading them into a small room, which was pitch black except for the light coming from the lamp burning at the wooden table in one corner, where Kise sat. In the middle of the room sat the bartender, tied on a chair and head covered with a sack.

Akashi could see the bartender's trembling figure through the dim light from the lamp. He could also hear the man's whimpering, voice whiny and shaky with fear.

"W-w-w-where am I?" the bartender asked, apparently sensing someone's arrival. "What's happening? Who are you?"

"It will be safer if you stop asking questions, and you start answering ours," said Akashi. "Who are you? They say you have information which can be valuable to us."

"What – what information?" the bartender whined.

"Your name first, _**sir**_." Akashi spoke in a dark tone which sent shivers down the spine of their captive.

"It's – " the man swallowed in fear. "It's Koganei…"

Akashi glanced at Kise. "Does he really know anything?"

Kise shrugged. "Cronies frequent the bar he's working at. He says he's heard some of their talk."

"Hey," Koganei recognized Kise's voice. He glanced aimlessly around. "Hey, you're the guy at the bar, right? You brought me here. Who are you, really?"

Akashi's bloodred eyes went back to Koganei. "So what have you heard from the Empire's soldiers, Koganei?"

"J-just their usual talk," Koganei answered weakly. "Cronies come to the bar almost every night, right after spending an entire day at the barracks. Most of them were members of the 3rd Regiment."

Akashi arched his eyebrows, his interest captured. General Kiyoshi was the head of the 3rd regiment.

"There – there wasn't much important information to tell, really…" Koganei said. "They are actually praising their general. Apparently they support General Kiyoshi to become the next Head Knight. It means promotion for them."

The three assassins remained silent, letting their captive do the talking.

"Of course, there's the talk of the general's possible competitions," Koganei went on. "There are the generals of the 1st and 2nd regiment, General Imayoshi and General Ootsubo. Also, there's the cruel master strategist known as General Hanamiya…"

_**General Hanamiya Makoto,**_ Akashi thought grimly. He had heard a lot of bad things about the general. Hanamiya was an intelligent man, a war strategist and a scientist. He has known to have led the conquest of what is now the eastern part of the Empire, using only an army of forty humanoid robots known as automatons. He has also invented many of the Empire's biological weapons, and was said to have been using the conquered people as his test subjects. Every now and then news of an unknown disease plaguing a village outside the Capital appeared on the gazettes.

"Hanamiya of the 5th Regiment?" Kise was puzzled.

Koganei managed to nod in reply. "They say there's bad blood between the two generals. It wasn't a surprise, really. General Kiyoshi's the noblest general in the Army. Hanamiya's just the exact opposite."

"Tell me more," Akashi said. "About this man called Hanamiya. Is he plotting against Kiyoshi?"

"I don't know," Koganei replied. "No one can tell, really. Who knows? If it's Hanamiya, Kiyoshi might die in some sort of accident. Or anything that Hanamiya obviously won't seem to get involved. Hanamiya is so shrewd, he can even plot the Emperor's death and no evidence would link him to it. He's that kind of guy."

_**Of course,**_ Akashi could not help but agree. Hanamiya was the type who would assassinate his foes without getting his own hands dirty. He was the type of enemy they should keep an eye on.

"Leave it to me," Kuroko suddenly spoke; he seemed to have read the redhead's thoughts. "I'll send spies to watch him."

Akashi nodded. "Be careful."

"Wait," Koganei shouted. "Who are you? Are you – oh, my lord, you're that faction of assassins, are you?"

Akashi furrowed his eyebrows in exasperation. He glared at Kise, who straightened up in deference to him.

"Make sure he doesn't remember us," said Akashi.

"Aye aye," Kise replied, taking out a huge syringe from the hidden pocket of his garb.

"W-what are you going to do to me?" Koganei asked, fear evident in his voice.

Kise smiled sweetly at the bartender, as if he could see him. He held up the syringe, the emerald-colored chemical dripping down the needlepoint. "It's nice meeting you, sir. But I'm afraid we must shut your mouth for a long time."

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Aomine remained wide awake despite the long night.

He perched on a tree branch, carefully hidden behind the foliage facing the wide windows of the General's room. It was right beside the room of the general's daughter, thus Aomine could also see Taiga getting ready for bed.

Aomine knew that he should focus on his job, but every minute or so he gets distracted by the generals' red-haired daughter.

It was definitely not his first time seeing a lady; he has seen many girls, from the markets and brothels and sometimes even noblewomen, all beautiful and promising exceptional pleasure. But Taiga was – at the very least – on a whole other level.

Besides, none of his fellow assassins had warned him that the general's daughter has a habit of sleeping naked at night.

It was quite an inviting sight, the window to Taiga's room fully opened, curtains moved aside to let in the fresh air. Aomine had an entire view of the bed, and most importantly the young lady sleeping on it. Taiga was sleeping so quietly she looked like a sculpture, if it wasn't for the rising and falling of her ample chest as she breathed softly. Her long, fiery red hair draped like a blanket over her shoulders and down to her waist, barely covering her womanhood. Her long legs, which were smooth and perfectly shaped, were spread over the sheets alluringly. Aomine resisted the urge to touch them.

Aomine frowned. He never thought that this bodyguard business was…_**harder**_ than he had thought.

_**Lead me not into temptation, deliver me from evil.**_

He was very thankful to notice a female servant enter General Kiyoshi's room. She was having a discussion with her master about matters regarding the household. Finally, Aomine had some reason to keep his eyes away from the sleeping siren and focus on his mission.

"You have a letter from General Hanamiya, sir." The maid handed a white envelope to Kiyoshi.

"Thank you. You may go." Kiyoshi waited for the maid to leave the room. He then opened the envelope, quickly pulling the written letter out, and unfolded it. He read the letter for a minute, folded it, and unfolded it again. He read the letter once again, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration this time. Aomine narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

In the end Kiyoshi threw the letter into the trash bin. He began to pace back and forth, pondering deeply about something.

Apparently unsatisfied, Kiyoshi walked over to his desk and took out a matchbox. He opened it and lit up one match stick, throwing it straight into the bin afterwards. Flames shoot up from inside the container, burning the letter and what was probably some valuable information for Aomine.

_**Curiouser and curiouser**_, Aomine thought, wondering what the letter from Hanamiya was about. He leant against the tree trunk, relaxing himself for the meantime. He'll report to Akashi tomorrow.

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**Sorry for the long wait (and short update), guys.**


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